Todd Jones, others get opening day wins at 5 Flags

Brandon McReynolds (20) and Cole Butcher (53B) make their way around the half-mile track during the 50th Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway on Sunday, December 3, 2017.(Photo: Jody Link/online@pnj.com)

Jones won the second of two 25-lap Faith Chapel Outlaw Stocks feature, not only after starting from the back of the field but after his No. 4 yellow machine inexplicably lost power.

Defending Outlaw Stocks Snowball Derby champion Bubba Winslow finished runner-up to Jones, but began his 2018 season by winning the 25 -lap race.

“We won the second one, and that’s all that matters,” said Jones, a past track champion at Five Flags when he won the Super Stocks title in 2014. “In the first (feature Sunday), we were trying to go to the front and it just shut off. I don’t know. We’ll take it how it is.”

You bet he will, given the disappointment of the first race. Jones was running second to Winslow on Lap 10 when he suddenly came to a crawl on the back straightaway on Lap 10 before losing power momentarily.

It happened a few laps later to Tallahassee driver Stuart Dutton, who too was running second to Winslow when his Outlaw Stock shut down as the leaders came down the front stretch.

Winslow had no such bad luck throughout the sun-kissed day. The win in the second race made it two victories in a row for the Cantonment driver.

It just so happens his last win before Sunday came a few months ago during short-track racing’s most prestigious week. Winslow scored his first career victory in December when he won the Outlaw Stocks Snowball Derby during the event’s 50th running.

“All that wouldn’t be possible without good car owners and a good crew,” Winslow said of his amazing No. 92 team. “They’re the ones make things fast; I just get to drive it.

Winslow continued, “We made a little change (in the second race), thinking it’d be better in the long runs. Sometimes when you do that, it messes things up. But the car finishes either first or second every time we race, so I definitely gotta thank my owners and sponsors.”

Despite coming home with a runner-up to Winslow and another podium finish in the nightcap, Pensacola’s Kody Brusso sounded more frustrated than joyous with the beginning of her season.

“We definitely have somewhere to build from,” Brusso said. “I know I don’t wanna be here (in third), but be where Todd is.”

Pro Trucks

Logan Boyett has become a familiar name around Five Flags as one of the top local Late Model drivers.

He hopes his newfound Pro Trucks career will have a similar effect.

The Pensacola driver won the second of two 25-lap Pro Trucks features with Carolina driver Colt James winning the first. The same duo finished runner-up to the other in each’s victory, respectively.

“We made an adjustment during the break that really helped the truck,” Boyett said. “It was way too snug. There’s still room to improve, but I’d be lying if I say we weren’t nervous to race Colt. That’s saying something to stay in front of a quality driver like him.”

James built a huge lead on Boyett in the opener. It was a familiar feeling for James after he drove his red No. 15 to Victory Lane in the 2017 season opener, which also took place in the afternoon.

“It’s kinda like déjà vu,” James said. “I like it when it’s like that, though. We went hard those first five laps to build a lead.”

Sportsmen

B.J. Leytham crossed the start-finish first in the 25-lap feature, but had his win thrown out during technical inspection.

That bumped Jim Pokrant from second to P1 and delivered the Pensacola driver his first victory since June 2016.

“I have to thank everybody for running us clean today,” Pokrant said. “We had a fun time. It was a great race.”

Pure Stocks

Pensacola driver Robert Balkum got his quest for a track championship off on the right foot Sunday at Pensacola’s high banks.

After a slew of wins, but near-misses on Pure Stocks track titles the last few seasons, Balkum seems determined to seal the deal in 2018.

He won the 20-lap feature Sunday in a tight battle with runner-up Tommie Blocker.